Gas-producer.



J. A. HBRRIGK.

GAS PRODUCER.

APPLICATION FILED IBB. 27,1911. RENEWED NOV.l2,1913.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

29 Z8 Z9 Z8 10 1s .nuuuu L nunqu 47 2'6 25 26 WITNESSES: 4w

J. A. HERRICK.

GAS PRODUCER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1911. RENEWED NOV. 12, 1913.

Patented June 16, 1914.

4 SHEBTS--SHBET 3.

INVENTOH "MGM ATTOR E78 WITNESSES.

J. A. HERRIGK.

GAS PRODUCER.

APYLIGATION FILED FEB. 27, 1911. RENEWED NOV. 1,100,074.

Patented June 16, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

nwmron By M manna s WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. HERRICK, OF NEW YOBK,'N. Y.

GAS-PRODUCER.

Application filed February 27, 1911, Serial No. 611,032. Renewed November 12, 1913.

Patented June 16, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. HERRICK, a

' citizen of the United States, and residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Producers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to gas producer apparatus, and more particularly to such apparatus of the mechanical type.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide new and improved mechanism, whereby a thorough agitation of the mass within the producer is had at all times, thereby insuring the production of gas of even quality.

Another object is to provide simple and efficient means for supporting the stirring or poking members within the producer, and for causing a relative movement between said devices and a certain part of the casing of the producer.

Another object is to provide efficient means for maintaining the parts exposed to the heat of the interior of the producer in a cool condition, by preventing the parts from becoming burned out.

The invention also contemplates certain improvements over the construction forming the subject-matter of my prior application, Serial No. 507,723, filed July 15th, 1909.

Certain features shown herein are shown,

described and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 611,033 filed of even date herewith. I Other objects of the invention, together with the advantage-s inherent, will be specificd or referred to in the course of the following description, and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

'The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section taken substantially cen trally of the producer; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of a. producer taken on line 2-=-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section of the central lower portion of the producer: Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1. showing a slightly different embodiment of revoluble fuel distributing device 22.

my improved producer apparatus; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the-upper portion of the producer, showing means for revolving the fuel hopper as well as the pokingv or stirring devices.

Similar reference characters refer to similar lifts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, 1 represents the upper section of a producer, provided with a cover portion 2, said upper portion 1 being suitably supported by means of struts 3, carried upon upright columns 4. The lower section 5, as shown, is mounted upon suitable supports 6, carried upon blocks 7, forming a part of the foundation 8 of the producer. Between the upper section 1, and lower section 5 is provided an intermediate revoluble section 10, having the circular bracket 11 attached to the exteriorthereof, said bracket resting and running upon bevel wheels 12, journaled in brackets 13, carried by the uprights 4. A water seal of usual construction is provided between the upper section 1 and the intermediate section 10, as at 14; and a similarly constructed water seal is provided between the intermediate section 10 and the lower section 5, as at 15. Suitably carried by the cover portion 2, and, in the present instance, formed integral therewith are depending poking or stirring devices 16, which are provided with divergent legs 17 and 18 respectively. It will be noted that legs 17 and 18 are set at difierent angles from the vertical, and that leg 18 is longer than leg 17, such arrangement insuring that each leg shall stir a different portion of the mass during the operation of the producer. The fuel is discharged into the producer through a hopper 20, which in the present instance, rests upon the cover portion 2, and extending through this hopper is a hollow shaft 21, the lower end of which carrAiLes1 a i retailed description of this part of the mechanism will be omitted herein since the same forms a part of the subject-matter of my prior application No. 606,548, filed February 4th, 1911.

It will be understood that a rota-tion of the hollow shaft 21 will result in the revolution of the fuel distributing member 22 so that fuel in the hopper dropping through the apertures 23 formed in the bottom of the Serial No. 800,663.

' hopper will be distributed over the entire ning over the upper surface of thebottom' the apertures 23 which might otherwise cwall of the hopper prevents the cloggingx-gf d cur should lumps too big to be disoha'rg freely therethrough become lodged thereini. Cooperating means are also provided upon the shaft 21, and the inner wall of the hopper for breaking up chunks of fuel therein too large to be discharged from the hopper to the interior of the producer. (Shaft 21 is revolved by means hereinafter -to be described.

Located in the lower section 5 of the producer, and extending radially therein to a point adjacent the center, are the twyer boxes 25, said twyer boxes being suitably supported in the walls of lower section 5 of the producer. Openings as at 26 are formed in the twyer boxes, through which the blast is discharged into the interior of the producer. Mounted upon two of these twyer boxes, and in-the present instance formedintegral therewith, are stationary poking or stirring devices 27 which are also provided with a pair of divergent legs 28 and 29, said legs being similar to legs 17 and 18 of the stirring devices 16, supported upon the cover portion 2. It will be noted that legs 28 and 29 extend upward into the intermediate section 10 of the producer, and legs 17 and 18 extend downward into section 10, the upper and lower ends of the respective pairs of legs lying substantially in the same horizontal plane. The lower and upper stirring members are disposed in alternate relation as shown. It will therefore be seen that during the revolution of the intermediate section 10, the mass being carried around with it will be thoroughly agitated by the legs of the stirring members 16 and 27; thereby insuring 'a thorough combustion of every part of the fuel, and preventing it from becoming lodged within the producer, as well as preventing the formation of clinkers.

The central or intermediate section of the producer is revolved in the following manner: 30 represents a driving gear, the shaft 31 of which may be driven from any suitable source of power. Gear 30 meshes with the gear 32, shaft 33 of which is provided with a smaller gear 34 which meshes with the gear This gear 35 is also pro vided with a small gear 36, which meshes with the gear 37 and the shaft 38 of this gear carries a worm 10, which meshes with a worm gear formed on the outside of the bracket 11, carried by the intermediate section 10. Gear 30, therefore, through its chain of mechanism as above described operates to drive the intermediate section but at a much lower speed, as will be obvious from the above description. 7

In order to maintain the apparatus in a cool condition, water supply pipes 41 lead from a suitable source of supply to the poking devices 16, the pipes being forked, or divided, as shown. to enter into the legs 17 and 18 to a point approximately at the bottom thereof. The water delivered from the open ends of the pipes 41 flows upward through the poking or stirring devices and overflows upon the cover portion 2 of the producer. Channels or depressions as at 43 are provided upon said cover portion. Leading from the channels or depressions 43 are pipes 44, which lead into seals 14, as shown. Leading from seal 14 are pipes 45 which lead into the seal 15, whence the water overflows into the base portion of the producer, which it will be noted is provided with a concentrically disposed depression 46, disposed beneath twyer boxes 25, the water in these depressions operating to seal the lower portion of the apparatus. The stirring devices 27, mounted upon the twyer boxes 25, are cooled by means of water supply pipes 47, whichare branched into the legs 28 and 29, respectively, the .returning water flowing through constricted openings 18 and being discharged directly into the depression 46 formed in the foundation of the producer apparatus.

Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, in this embodiment, the poking devices depending from the cover portion and projecting upward from the twyer boxes are mounted to rotate within the body of the producer. In the present instance it is intended to have three twyer boxes in the lower portion of the producer, on one of which will be mounted a revolving poking device, one depending stirring member from the cover portion being provided, which will be simi larly rotated. The stirring members on the cover portion and twyer boxes are oppositely disposed so that all parts of the mass will be thoroughly agitated. The stirring devices 16 shown depending from the cover portion are provided with divergent legs 17 and 18, as in the embodiment first above described, and is provided upon its upper end with gear wheel 50, which rests upon the cover portion and forms a support for the stirring device. Gear wheel 50 meshes with idler gear 51, with which meshes a gear 52, carried on shaft 53, the lower end of which is provided with bevel gear 54. Bevel gear 54 is driven by means of gear wheel 55, carried by shaft 56, which in turn carries gear 57 the latter meshing with gear wheel 40, upon shaft 38. It will therefore be seen that an operative driving connection is estab lished between the poking devices 16 and driving gear 30, through the chain of mechanism described in connection with the emhodiment shown in Fig. 1. Shaft 53 extends upward along the uprights 4, and is simi- Iarl y journaled in cross piece 58, and at its upper end is provided with bevel gear 60, which, meshes with similar gear 61 fixed upon shaft 62, the opposite end of which is provided with bevel gear 63; shaft 62 bein carried as by means of journals provide in brackets 64, said brackets being carried by cross beam 58. Bevel gear 63 meshes with similar gear 64, provided upon hollow shaft 21, which extends downward through the cover. Therefore, it will be seen that shaft 21 is driven from the main driving gear 30.

Through the chain of mechanism, which has been described, meshing with bevel gear 64 is bevel gear 65, suitably mounted upon shaft 66, journaled in suitable brackets 67, and the outer end of this shaft is provided with bevel gear 68 which meshes with bevel gear 70 upon shaft 71. Shaft 71 extends downward, and its lower end is provided with bevel gear 72, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, which meshes with a bevel gear 72. The shaft of this bevel gear carries a similar gear 73, which meshes with bevel gear 74, upon the hollow shaft 75, suitably journaled in twyer boxes 25. Shaft 55 at its upper end carries the revolving poker or stirring device 27, having the divergent legs 28 and 29.

Extending through hollow shaft 21 is a water delivery pipe 75, which conducts water therethrough into fuel distributing device 22; the Water returning through pipe 21. into a bowl 76 carried upon its upper end. Bowl 76 is provided with openings 77 in its lower portion, through which the water flows into the gear wheel 4, which is made hollow and has apertures gm its bottom portion, so that the water may flow into journaled portion 78, which ,is made hollow and from which leads the pipe 41 that discharges water into poking device 16. The stirring device 27 mounted upon twyer box 25 is supplied with water by means of pipe 80 which leads from a suitable source of supply; said pipe extending upward into legs 28 and 29 of the stirring device 27 the lower end of shaft 75 being constricted so that the stirring device will always be maintained full of water, the water being discharged therefrom into the depression 46 so as to form a water seal for the lower portion of the producer. It will be obvious that swivsled joints as at 81 and 82 will be provided for the water pipes, thus permitting the dis charging ends thereof to revolve freely during the operation of the apparatus.

ITY'Fig. 5 of the drawings, I have extended the hollow shaft which carries poking devicelfi upward, and have provided a second 'g'ear wheel 83 thereon, which gear meshes with gear 84 carried by the lower end of the hopper 20, which in this embodiment is mounted upon suitable ball bearings 85, permitting it to be revolved in a direction opposite to the revolution of the hollow shaft, extending therethrough which carries the projections which cooperate with the projections formed upon the inner wall of the hopper to break up the fuel.

It will accordingly be seen that I have provided a construction, well adapted to accomplish, among others, all the aims and objects sought to be covered in a simple yet efiicient manner, and through the instrumentality of which the mass of fuel within the producer is kept thoroughly agitated during the operation of said apparatus; the parts exposed to heat being thoroughly cooled.

The apparatus is very durable, and will operate continuously with a minimum exercise of care and attention.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus described my in ention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a casing provided with a plurality of fixed sections and an intermediate revoluble section, means for revolving said latter section and stirring devices extending in opposite directions into said intermediate section.

2. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a casing comprising three sections, two of which are fixed and theother revoluble. and stirring members extending from each of said fixed sections into said revoluble section.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a casing, said casing comprising three sections, two of which are fixed and the other revoluble, and stirring members extending within said three sections.

4. In apparatus of thekclass described, the combination, of a casing provided with fixed upper and lower sections and an intermediate revoluble section, means for revolving said intermediate section, a twyer box in the lower section, a stirring device supported thereby and extending upward int he intermediate section, and a stirring device supported by the cover of the upper section which extends downward into said intermediate section.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination, of a casing provided with fixed upper and lower sections and an intermediate revoluble section, means for revolving said intermediate section, a plurality of twyer boxes provided in the lower section, and a stirring device supported upon one of said twyer boxes which extend upward into the intermediate section.

6. The combination in a gas producer, of a casing having a fixed upper section, a fixed lower section, and an intermediate revoluble section, means for supporting said revoluble section, means for revolving the same, a plurality of twyer boxes in said lower section, a stirring device having divergent legs carried by certain of said twyer boxes which extends upward into the intermediate portion of the casing, and a stirring device having divergent legs extending downward into the intermediate portion of the producer, said last named stirring device being carried by the cover portion of the upper section.

7. The combination in a gas producer, of a casing, provided with an upper fixed section, a lower fixed section, and an intermediate revoluble section, a plurality of radially disposed twyer boxes in the lower section, a stirring device having divergent legs suitably mounted upon one of said twyer boxes, and a stirring device having divergent legs carried by the cover portion and depending therefrom.

8. The combination in a gas producer, of a casing provided with a fixed upper section, a fixed lower section, and an intermediate revoluble section, means for rotatively sup porting said intermediate portion, means for rotating said intermediate portion, a revolubly mounted stirring device carried by the cover portion of the producer which extends downwardly into the intermediate portion of the producer, and a revolubly mounted stirring device suitably supported in the lower portion of the producer, which extends into the intermediate portion of the producer.

9. The combination in a gas producer, of a casing provided with a fixed upper section. a fixed lower section, and an intermediate revoluble section, a plurality of twyer boxes located in the lower section, a revolubly mounted stirring device carried by one of said twyer boxes, which extends upwardly into said intermediate portion, and a stirring device carried by the cover portion of the upper section of the producer which extends downwardly into the intermediate portion of the roducer.

10. The com ination in a gas roducer, of a casing provided with 8. xed upper section, a fixed lower section, and an intermediate revoluble section, a plurality of twyer boxes located in the lower section, a revolubly mounted stirring device carried by one of said twyer boxes, which extends upwardly into said intermediate portion, and a stirring device having divergent legs carried by the cover portion of the upper section of the producer which extends downwardly into the intermediate portion of the producer. i

11. The combination in a gas producer, of a casing provided with a fixed upper section, a fixed lower section, and an intermediate revoluble section, a plurality of twyer boxes located in the lower section, a revolubly mounted stirring device carried by one of said twyer boxes, which extends upward into saidvintermediate portion, a stirring device Carried by the cover portion of the upper section of the producer which extends downwardly into the intermediate portion of the producer, and a common means for revolving said stirring devices.

12. The combination in a gas producer, of a casing provided with a fixed upper section, a fixed lower section, and an intermediate revoluble section, a plurality of twyer boxes located in the lower section, a revolubly mounted stirring device carried by one of said, twyer boxes, which extends upwardly into said intermediate portion, a stirring device carried by the cover portion of the upper section of the producer which extends downwardly into the intermediate portion of the producer, and a common means for revolving said intermediate portion and said stirring device.

13 In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a casing, said casing comprising three sections, two of which are fixed and the other revoluble, a stirring member supported by one of said sections, and a stirring member supported by another of said sections.

14.'In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a casing, said casing comprising three sections, two of which are fixed and the other revoluble, a stirring member supported by one of said sections, and a stirring member supported by another of said sections, said stirring members having overlapping fields in their stirring operations.

15. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a casing, said casing comprising three sections, two of which are fixed and the other revoluble, a bifurcated stirring member supported by one of said sections, and another stirring member supported by another of said sections.

16. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a casing, said casing comprising a fixed section and a revoluble section, and a plurality of bifurcated stirring members carried by one of said sections and extending into the other, said plurality of members being so arranged that each bifurcation-terminus is with relation to the axis of revolution of said revoluble section eccentric to a greater or less degree than any other of said bifurcation-termini.

17. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a casing, said casing comprising a fixed section and a revoluble section, and a plurality of stirring members carried by'one of said sections and extending into the other, each stirring member having a plurality of extensions and said plurality of extensions being so arranged that the terminus of each extension is with relation to the axis of revolution of said revoluble section eccentric to a greater or less degree than the terminus of any other extension.

18. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a casing, said casing comprising a fixed section and a revoluble section, and a plurality of bifurcated stirring members carried by one of said sections and extending into the other, said plurality of members being so arranged that each bifurcation-terminus is with relation to the axis of revolution of said revoluble section eccentric to a greater or less degree than any other of said bifurcation-termini, and certain of the bifurcation-legs being longitudinally disposed at mutually dissimilar angles to the said axis of revolution.

In testimon whereof I have afiixed my signature in t e presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. HERRICK.

Witnesses:

A. S. Homosnnnc, NATHALIE THOMPSON. 

